Even I think it’s still a tad early to start shopping for the festive season! However, as someone running a micro business I can tell you that having everyone go shopping in the last few weeks tends to result in a Christmas day where I’m so exhausted I just want to fall over!

Not that I’m complaining of course, but I thought I’d offer people a temptation to get shopping in earnest a bit earlier this year.

I’m offering a 15% discount across my entire range of jewellery for purchases made before 28 November. Just enter the code earlybird09 when you checkout to receive your discount.

Feel free to pass it on to friends and family – especially if you’ve got your eye on something for yourself, of course!

Also make sure you check out my new range of handmade jewellery. I’ve added a few more pieces in the last couple of days.

Note that this discount is valid in both my international handmade jewelry shop and my Australian and New Zealand handmade jewellery shop. It is not valid in other outlets.

Just a note to let you know that I’ve just added a number of pieces to the sale section of my handmade jewellery shop to help clear the way for new work.

Some of these pieces have never been sold online before and for many there is just one remaining in stock.

So stop by the sale section and take a peek! I hope to be adding more in the next little while.

PS. Australian and NZ customers can visit the handmade jewellery sale in my Australian dollar shop.

After proving to myself that I am my own worst design client, I have finally completed a much-needed redesign of my main website at www.simonewalsh.com.

This has also been rolled out to both of my shops – the international jewelry shop and Australian jewellery shop.

The previous design of my site and shops was done in a great hurry after I lost confidence in the primary online selling venue I had been using to that point and decided I needed my own independent shop to best look after my business.

In the space of about three days I had the site design mocked up, built, tested and rolled out. This was an impressive turnaround time, but I had always meant to go back and rebuild it with a design I was happier with. And finally it’s done!

If you encounter any problems in using the new design please let me know.

Next to do is a redesign of this very blog – another project that’s been on the cards for a long time! I hope to get to that in the next few months with any luck.

A launch discount

To celebrate the launch of the redesign you can take advantage of a 15% discount using the code redesign when you checkout (valid to 19 August 2009).

This discount code is valid in both my handmade jewelry shop (prices in US$, shipping everywhere) and my handmade jewellery shop (prices in AU$, shipping to Australia and NZ).

It’s Easter – already! The year is whizzing past.

In Australia we are fortunate to get a four day holiday for Easter. Huge numbers of people go away for the weekend – and equally huge numbers stay at home to avoid the traffic created by the people going away!

I am one of the latter and plan to spend the weekend catching up with friends and making some jewellery – and of course nibbling the odd hot cross bun (better than chocolate!).

A treat for you!

For those others who will be around this weekend I’m offering an Easter treat in my handmade jewelry shop – if you make a purchase, just enter the code easter when you checkout and you’ll receive a 15% discount.

The discount is valid from Good Friday through to the end of Easter Monday and will work in my Australian jewellery shop as well.

Enjoy your Easter!

I’ve just added some new handmade jewellery to my sale section, including this forget-me-not necklace. Plus I’ve further discounted some older pieces already on sale.

Everything in the sale section is being retired from my range – something I need to do from time to time to make the range more manageable. So once they’re gone, they’re gone!

As an added bonus for blog readers, if you purchase anything in my shop, use the code extra1 when you checkout to get a 15% discount – including on items already on sale. This discount will expire on 27 March 2009.

This is valid in both my Australian jewellery shop and international (US$) jewellery shop.

The festive season is heading our way faster than a speeding bullet!

This year I’m hoping to encourage people to shop early to avoid too much of a last minute rush.

So if blog readers would like to purchase any of my handmade jewelry for Christmas, place your order by Monday 1 December 2008 and use the code early to receive a 10% discount.

Visit my handmade jewelry shop to use the discount code. The code is also valid in my Australian handmade jewellery shop for Australian and New Zealand customers.

Those of you in the US can think of this as a Black Friday / Cyber Monday sale, of course!

Festive season deliveries

The earlier you place orders for Christmas gifts, the more certain you can be of the items arriving in time. However, I suggest customers keep in mind the following dates:

• Australian customers: order by 17 December for regular post and by 21 December for Express Post
• New Zealand customers: order by 17 December
• Other customers: order by 14 December

Orders placed after these dates may still arrive in time, but they may not.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Just a quick note to wish all of my US readers who celebrate it a very happy Thanksgiving!